Kalanchoe plant named ‘Dragonfire’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Kalanchoe  cultivar named ‘Dragonfire’ is disclosed, with plants comprised of apple green leaves with red margins. In bright light or during cooler climates, the leaves blush intensely, becoming largely red with green only near the center of the plant. The new cultivar ‘Dragonfire’ exhibits robust and rapid growth, enhancing finished pot production times. The new cultivar has proven landscape and full sun tolerant, including at elevations around 1400 feet in Southern California. The new variety is an  Kalanchoe , part of the Crassulaceae complex that includes  Aeonium, Echeveria, Graptopetalum, Sedum  and others.  Kalanchoe  is a popular genus, typically produced for the floriculture industry, as well as for uses as container plants for the patio, or as landscape plants.

Latin name of the genus and species: Kalanchoe hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘DRAGONFIRE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program. The new variety originated from a cross pollination of an unnamed, unpatented proprietary seed parent of Kalanchoe luciae with the pollen parent of an unpatented, proprietary Kalanchoe hybrida referred to as Kalanchoe ‘21’. The cross pollination was made during December 2015 in Vista, Calif., at a commercial greenhouse. The new cultivar ‘Dragonfire’ was discovered by the inventor, Renee O'Connell in July 2016 in Vista, Calif., at a commercial greenhouse.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘Dragonfire’ was first performed in Vista, Calif., at a commercial greenhouse, by terminal vegetative cuttings in July 2016. Kalanchoe ‘Dragonfire’ has since produced multiple generations and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Dragonfire’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘DRAGONFIRE’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘DRAGONFIRE’ as a new and distinct Kalanchoe cultivar:

-   1. The new cultivar Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ forms plants comprised     of apple green leaves with red margins. In bright light or during     cooler climates, the leaves blush intensely, becoming largely red     with green only near the center of the plant. -   2. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ offsets at an early size; at     approximately 4-6″ tall, creating an attractive cluster of apple     green, accentuated by red. -   3. The diameter of the new cultivar Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ can     exceed 6″ in diameter while offsets are still small; as a result, a     single cutting fills a 1 gallon pot readily. -   4. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ has been proven landscape tolerant at     1400′ elevation in Escondido, Calif. -   5. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ is fast-growing, enhancing production     times in a commercial nursery.

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar are similar to plants of the seed parent, in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar differ in the following:

-   1. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ offsets readily at an early age, whereas     the seed parent does not offset until it becomes older, and then     offsets sporadically, typically at the onset of flowering. -   2. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ exhibits an attractive contrast between     the apple green color and the accentuating red blush, whereas the     seed parent displays a pruinose mint green color, typical of     Kalanchoe luciae, accentuated with a pruinose red, resulting in a     less attractive contrast between the two colors. -   3. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ grows faster than the seed parent,     thereby enhancing production times in a commercial nursery. -   4. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’, readily offsetting, forming attractive     clusters in the landscape, whereas the seed parent, offsets     sporadically, taking much longer to form clusters that are often     very uneven, due to the sporadic nature of the offsetting.

Plants of the new cultivar are similar to plants of the pollen parent, in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar differ in the following;

-   1. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ forms attractive, semi-rosette plants,     whereas Kalanchoe ‘21’ tends to be a taller, lankier growing plant. -   2. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’, exhibits an attractive contrast between     the apple green leaves and the red blush, whereas Kalanchoe ‘21’ is     a darker green, resulting in a subdued contrast between the dark     green and the red blush. -   3. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ forms semi-rosette plants that can fill a     1 gallon or 8″ pot with 1 cutting, whereas it is necessary to plant     multiple cuttings of Kalanchoe ‘21’ or pinch several times to fill     the same sized pot, thereby enhancing production in a commercial     nursery. -   4. The leaves of Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ have smooth margins, with a     few rare crenations, whereas the leaves of Kalanchoe hybrid ‘21’ are     irregularly dentate, to variably crenate.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

The new cultivar ‘Dragon Fire’ can be compared to the unpatented commercial Kalanchoe orgyalis. Plants of the Kalanchoe orgyalis are similar to plants of the new cultivar ‘Dragon Fire’ in most horticultural characteristics. However, the new cultivar ‘Dragon Fire’ differs in the following:

-   1. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ forms semi-rosette plants, becoming     attractive clusters due to the free offsetting, as compared with     Kalanchoe orgyalis, which grows as a shrub, 1-2 meters in height. -   2. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ produces an attractive contrast of     apple-green leaves, with the apices, and often more of the leaf     blushed red, particularly in bright light or cooler temperatures,     whereas Kalanchoe orgyalis produces leaves that are pilose, and     gray-bronze to ruddy copper in color. -   3. Due to the earlier offsetting of Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’, as     compared with Kalanchoe orgyalis, the plant can be propagated more     rapidly, enhancing production times in a commercial nursery. -   4. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ grows faster than does Kalanchoe     orgyalis, allowing for faster production times in the commercial     nursery.

The new cultivar ‘Dragon Fire’ can be compared to the unpatented commercial Kalanchoe blossfeldiana. Plants of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana are similar to plants of the new cultivar ‘Dragon Fire’ in most horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the new cultivar ‘Dragon Fire’ differ in the following:

-   1. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ has proven landscape tolerant in full sun     at 1400′ elevation in Escondido, Calif., whereas Kalanchoe     blossfeldiana is a plant better grown in a filtered light or shade. -   2. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ produces a semi-rosette plant, whereas     Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is an upright subshrub. -   3. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ forms plants with apple-green leaves,     contrasted attractively with red blushed leaf margins, whereas     Kalanchoe blosssfeldiana produces plants with shiny, dark green     leaves. In bright light or cooler temperatures, much of the leaf of     Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ becomes red. -   4. Kalanchoe ‘Dragon Fire’ can be sold as an attractive, colorful     landscape accent or as a patio accent, whereas Kalanchoe     blossfeldiana is typically sold as a houseplant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘DRAGONFIRE’, at about 6 months of age, grown in a greenhouse in Vista, Calif. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and equipment. While the colors in these photographs may display variances of color as compared to the living cultivar, due to LRV (light reflectance value), they are as accurate as possible using conventional photographic techniques. Colors in the photographs may appear to differ slightly from the color values cited in the botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe plant. The photograph depicts a plant grown under natural light conditions of approximately 4500 foot-candles during early Summer. Temperatures ranged from about 5° C. to 29° C. night and day. No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments or chemical treatments were given to the plants.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘Dragonfire’ plants in a commercial greenhouse in Vista, Calif. Temperatures ranged from 34° F. to 90° F. night and day. No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments or chemical treatments were given to the plants. Natural light conditions were approximately 2500-4000 foot candles of light. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe hybrida ‘DRAGONFIRE’. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type of propagation typically used.—Terminal vegetative             cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at approximately 24°             C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous. Tan to brown, not accurately             described with R.H.S. chart. -   Plant:     -   -   Age of plant described.—Approximately 4 months from a             cutting.         -   Container size of the plant described.—30 cm.         -   Growth habit.—Upright branching sub-shrub.         -   Height.—Approximately 28 cm to top of highest leaf.         -   Plant spread.—Approximately 27 cm. Plant comprised of 5             stems.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately fast.         -   Branching characteristics.—Freely branching from an early             age. -   Foliage:     -   -   Leaf.—Arrangement: Opposite. Average length: Approximately             15 cm. Average width: 8 cm. Width at base: 1.8 cm. Shape of             blade: Oblanceolate. Apex: Rounded obtuse. Base: Broad             attenuate. Margin: Irregular very shallow crenations.             Texture of top surface: Glabrous. Texture of bottom surface:             Glabrous. Quantity of leaves per plant: Approximately 12 to             20 per stem, 4 to 6 stems per plant.         -   Color.—Young foliage, upper side, near apex: Near RHS 46A.             Young foliage, upper side, center: Near Yellow-Green 144A,             lightly flushed Red 46A along margin. Young foliage upper             side, near base: Near Yellow-Green 144A. Young foliage,             under side, near apex: Near RHS 46A. Young foliage, under             side, center: Near Yellow-Green 144A, lightly flushed Red             46A along margin. Young foliage under side, near base: Near             Yellow-Green 144A. Mature foliage, upper side, near apex:             Near RHS 46A. Mature foliage, upper side, center: Near             Yellow-Green 144A, flushed Red 46A. Mature foliage upper             side, near base: Near Yellow-Green 144A. Mature foliage,             under side, near apex: Near RHS 46A. Mature foliage, under             side, center: Near Yellow-Green 144A, flushed Red 46A.             Mature foliage under side, near base: Near Yellow-Green             144A. Variegation: Absent.         -   Venation.—There is no visual appearance of venation.             Indistinguishable from leaf blade. -   Flower: Not observed. -   Reproductive organs: Not observed. -   Other characteristics:     -   -   Fruits and seeds.—Not observed.         -   Temperature tolerance.—Tolerates temperatures from             approximately 0° C. to at least 32° C.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Neither resistance nor             susceptibility to normal diseases and pests of Kalanchoe             observed.         -   Drought tolerance.—Tolerates at least 3 weeks of high             temperatures without supplemental water, showing no serious             damage to plant. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant named ‘DRAGONFIRE’ as herein illustrated and described. 